Newsletter Term 3 Week 6
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Families,
Last week we welcomed Evie Ferdinando to St Mary’s and it was lovely to hear what a warm welcome all the children in Foundation Yellow gave her as she joined their class. In a week of arrivals and departures we farewell Mr Hodgson, who has been here completing his final teaching placement with Mr Doran and 3U. We have really enjoyed having Josh on staff and wish him all the very best as he starts out on his teaching career. We are also delighted to have Aimee Mangiemieli commence her final teaching placement here, working in Foundation Blue for the next month.
School Feast Day Tuesday 15th August- The Assumption
Tomorrow is a special one on our school calendar as we celebrate our school feast day with our Assumption of Mary Mass. Mary, mother of Jesus is a very important and special woman in our Catholic tradition and Tuesday’s feast honours her as “God’s Mother”. Our Feast Day celebrations will begin with our Assumption of Mary Mass in the Gym at 10 am All families are invited to attend. Thanks to the Year 5 teachers and students for their leadership of this special Mass. The fun continues as our Year 6 staff and students have organised a tabloid sports day for our Year F-5 students to enjoy later in the day.
On Tuesday children are able to wear their PE uniform to enable them to participate fully in the outdoor activities.
SAC
The School Advisory Council provide input and advice on a range of matters to the school principal and I always loook forward to our meetings and the support received from Jess Merrett, the Chair and the SAC members. On Tuesday we met for our August meeting with discussions centred round Parent teacher interviews, the 2023 school swimming program, town bus travel and future building and infrastructure grant opportunities.
Disco profit
Our recent school disco was a great success rasing almost $1900 which will help support upgrading the Ninja Playground. Our wonderful P& F have raised $15,000 this year to assist with funding this project, which is set to commence construction in 2024.
Look at some of the amazing projects your P & F have helped fund over the years
Parent Teacher Interviews
Online bookings open today at 3pm for Parent Teacher Interviews which are scheduled for Wednesday 30/8 and Tuesday 5/9. These interviews are a great opportunity for all parents to book a time to spend with your child’s teacherand all families are strongly encouraged to attend. Our Year 5 & 6 students will participate in Student Led Conferences while our Year 1-4 students will run 3 Way Chats with both parents and their children required to attend. Foundation interviews remain a more traditional Parent-Teacher style interview.
Bookings to be made via www.schoolinterviews.com.au
Code: 85yx5
Book Week 21st – 25th August 2023
Fast approaching! Book Week is celebrated each year in August. To celebrate, we will be holding the annual school book parade on Thursday the 24th of August at 9.05am. On this day the children can dress as any one of their favourite book characters and we love to see everything from Super Heroes and Pirates to Mermaids or Dalmations as students and teachers get into the spirit of the day! The Book Parade will be held on Thursday 24th August at 9.10am.
Once again it was lovely to see so many families at our Friday assembly. Well done to 3S who presented their understanding of what hospitality really means so confidently to our school community and congratulations to all our award winners who are always so proud to receive this recognition for their work throughout the week.
Enoy what the week holds in store,
Kate
"Never See a Need Without Doing Something About It"
Mary MacKillop - Sisters of St Joseph Foundress
Key Dates
Tuesday August 15th
Assumption Mass 10am
Thursday August 17th
School of Rock Performance at MacKillop for Year 5
Friday August 18th
Assembly 12.25pm - Foundation Yellow
Thursday August 24th
Book Week Parade
Friday August 25th
Senior Athletics
No Assembly
Wellbeing with Mr Prockter
In accordance with Child Safe Standard 9: Physical and online environments
Last Monday, we started the first session with Headspace (Tuning Into Teens). A group of Year 5 & 6 parents worked closely with the team. The topic of discussion was around Emotion Coaching.
The Importance of Emotion Coaching When Dealing With Kids
Parenting is a remarkable journey filled with joy, challenges, and endless opportunities for growth. One of the most crucial aspects of raising emotionally intelligent and resilient children is emotion coaching. Emotion coaching is a parenting approach that involves acknowledging, validating, and guiding a child's emotions in a supportive and nurturing manner. This technique not only fosters a strong parent-child bond but also equips children with valuable life skills that will serve them well into adulthood.
Understanding Emotion Coaching
Emotion coaching is based on the work of psychologist John Gottman, who developed the concept as part of his research on successful marriages. It has since been adapted to the realm of parenting, and its principles have proven to be invaluable. At its core, emotion coaching entails actively engaging with your child's emotions, teaching them how to understand and manage these emotions, and providing a safe space for them to express themselves without judgment.
Validation and Empathy
When children experience emotions, whether positive or negative, they need to feel understood and supported. Emotion coaching involves validating a child's feelings by acknowledging their emotions without dismissing or belittling them. Instead of saying, "Don't be sad," an emotion-coaching parent might say, "I see that you're feeling sad. It's okay to feel that way." This simple shift in language communicates empathy and acceptance, helping children develop a healthy emotional vocabulary and a sense of self-worth.
Teaching Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively. Emotion coaching is a powerful tool for cultivating emotional intelligence in children. By discussing emotions openly and teaching children to label their feelings, parents help them develop a deeper awareness of their emotional states. This awareness lays the foundation for emotional regulation – the ability to manage and respond to emotions in a healthy manner.
Problem-Solving and Resilience
Life is full of challenges and setbacks, and teaching children how to handle these situations with resilience is essential. Emotion coaching allows parents to guide their children through problem-solving processes by encouraging them to brainstorm solutions and weigh the potential outcomes. This not only empowers children to tackle difficulties on their own but also instills a sense of confidence in their abilities.
Strengthening Parent-Child Bonds
Emotion coaching is about more than just teaching children life skills; it's also a way to strengthen the bond between parent and child. When children feel heard, understood, and valued, they are more likely to turn to their parents for support and guidance. This trust forms the basis of a healthy parent-child relationship, creating a safe space for open communication and emotional connection.
Fostering Empathy and Compassion
When parents consistently practice emotion coaching, they model empathetic behavior for their children. Children learn by example, and when they witness their parents showing empathy, they are more likely to develop these qualities themselves. Empathy and compassion are essential for building positive relationships and contributing to a more compassionate society.
Have a great week 🙂
Mr Prockter
St Mary's Stars
RE with Mrs Davies
Assumption of Mary Feast Day - 15th August
Tomorrow is a very exciting day on our school calendar as it is our St Mary’s Feast Day. We have a day filled with celebrations beginning with Mass at 10am in the Gym to be led by Fr James and the Year 5 students. Parents and friends are most welcome to attend. After recess the Year 6 students will be running tabloid sport activities throughout the day for the whole school to enjoy.
For each canonised saint, the Catholic Church assigns one day of the year, known as the saint’s feast day, to honour and remember their unwavering faith and extraordinary contribution to humanity and the Church. Our school is named after the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is a very special part of who we are as a Catholic school. Mary was a woman of deep faith, trust and service. In the Gospel of Luke, we see Mary chosen by God to bring Christ into the world. She is with Jesus at his birth, nurtures him in childhood, is present during his ministry, witnesses his death, and stands with the early Church as it grows and proclaims the Good News.
PE with Mr Smith
Regional Netball
Last Tuesday, August 8th the St Mary’s boys and girls netball teams participated in the Regional Netball Competition held at Alan Garden Reserve. In what were fantastic conditions for netball, both teams participated in the true St Mary’s spirit and did a fantastic job. The results are as follows;
Boys Netball: The boys were lucky enough to take away one win for the day and only went down narrowly in all of their other games. A fantastic achievement for the first year.
Girls Netball: The girls most certainly had a day out on home turf, asserting their authority on the rest of the competition against schools from townships of much greater population. Our girls went through undefeated and have now qualified for the State Netball Championships to be held in Melbourne on Friday, August 8th 2023.
Thanks to Mrs Martin for coaching the boys and supercoach Tenay for coaching the girls. It was a fantastic week for Tenay as she also coached the Girls Footy to the grand final the previous week.
Regional Soccer
In what were fantastic conditions at Ken Harrison Reserve, the boys and girls soccer teams participated in the Regional Soccer tournament. Schools from Mildura, Echuca and Bendigo participated in the event. Despite not being able to come away with a win, all students participated in great spirit and tried their very best. I was very impressed with the sportsmanship all students showed on the day. A big thank you to Mr Cruickshank for accompanying me and coaching the boys team for the day.
SSV Golf
Last Monday, August 7th, Kell P, Blake S and Beau H participated in the SSV Golf event held at the Loddon Golf Club in Bendigo. All students should be very proud of their achievements with Kell finishing a tie for 3rd shooting a round of 44, Blake finishing 8th with a round of 49 and Beau finishing 21st with a round of 69. Thank you to the boys' parents for transporting and caddying for the day.
Seniors Athletics Volunteers via PAM
Thanks again to everyone who has volunteered to help out with the Senior Athletics thus far. It has been fantastic to see so many parents put their hand up to assist for the day. Those who have signed up, I will attempt to get out what event you will be monitoring either by the end of this week, or the start of the next. If you haven’t yet signed up but willing to help out, feel free to get in touch either by emailing me or via PAM.
Junior Athletics Carnival
On Thursday, September 7th 2023, the Junior Athletics will be held here at St Mary’s on the oval. Information in regards to this was sent out via PAM last week. Much similar to the Senior Athletics, many hands make light work so if you are willing to help out for the day either register via PAM or feel free to send me an email with a time slot that suits you. More information on this to come in the following weeks.
@2 Murlong Before & After School Care
The Out of School Hours Care program, @ 2 Murlong, is operating out of the gym hub and provides before and after school care for school age children in the Swan Hill area. Please express your interest via the following link;
https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment/index/dHdBOThsSW9JeHUxYTEwaHNxZlMrdz0
News from the Office
Lost Property
Please make sure your child's school jumper is clearly labelled so it can be returned to them.
Breakfast Club Donations
Breaky Club is kindly asking for donations of Vegemite. These can be left at the office.
School Beanies
The mornings are freezing so now is a great time to purchase a school beanie! Available on CDF Pay for $15.00.
Rapid Antigen Tests
We have excess supply of Rapid Antigen Tests available for families. You can collect test kits from the office between 8.30am and 4pm.
News from the Canteen
Ordering from our canteen for recess or lunch is online via CDF Pay
https://smswanhill.cdfpay.org.au/
Orders are to be placed by 9.30am. We recommend ordering the night before.
If you are able to help in the canteen on any of the dates in yellow, please contact the office on 50332541 or email office@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au
We need your help to fill the Term 3 roster!!!
Birthday Wishes
